This invention relates to Rhodococcus sp. N-774-derived DNA encoding nitrile hydratase-active polypeptide having an ability of converting nitriles into corresponding amides and a method for producing amides from nitriles with a transformant containing the same.
An enzyme hydrating nitriles to form corresponding amides is known as nitrilase or nitrile hydratase. As examples of microorganisms producing the enzyme, microorganisms belonging to the genera Bacillus, Bacteridium, Micrococcus and Brevibacterium (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,081), Corynebacterium and Nocardia (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,968), Pseudomonas (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,982) and Rhodococcus, Arthrobacter and Microbacterium (see European Unexamined patent Application Publication No. 0188316), etc. can be enumerated.